Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE</p

Dubai Police steps in after consulate refuses to issue passport to 3 children abandoned by father

The Dubai Police has stepped in to help three children to be issued new passports after their country’s consulate refused to issue the documents. The children, aged 3, 8 and 10, were abandoned by their father, who took their passports with him. The children’s mother had been trying to get passports for them, but her country’s consulate had refused, citing its procedure that requires written consent signed by both parents. This put the family in limbo because without the passports, the children could not be enrolled in school or get health insurance. The case went on for a year, so the mother then sought the help of the General Department of Human Rights at Dubai Police, who stepped in to help her solve her problem. Colonel Dr Ali Muhammad Al Matrooshi, Director of the Child and Women Protection Department, explained the UAE Federal Law on Child Rights, also known as “Wadeema”. Under the law, either parents or those with legal authority over a child are required to obtain documents proving the child's birth, nationality, and other identification papers. Colonel Al Matrooshi emphasized that the UAE law guarantees a child's right to identity, allowing the child to have an independent entity and identity like everyone else in society, including a name, family, date of birth, nationality, and access to protection, rights, and services from their home country. A court in Dubai had given the mother custody of the children. With this development, Dubai Police reached the Dubai Courts for a court order to issue passports for the three children, which forced the consulate to cooperate and issue the passports. ICA/Expat Media
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